


Cuddlebug

by orphan_account



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Cuddling, Fluff, Gen, Hugs, Parental!Patton (...so basically regular Patton ngl), Platonic Relationships, secret santa gift, toddler!Virgil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:15:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21869647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: It wasn’t that Virgil thought that he wasn’tallowedto ask for cuddles, or even that he thought he’d be bothering the other if he did ask. After all, Patton was even more of a cuddler than he was, even in a regressed state, and would never pass up the chance to engage in any physical contact.No, the problem was that Virgil didn’t knowhowto ask.(Luckily, Patton seems to understand, anyways.)
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 26
Kudos: 258
Collections: Sanders Sides Secret Santa 2019





	Cuddlebug

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bexxbeauty](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=bexxbeauty).



> A happy holidays to one and all; though most especially to the lovely bexxbeauty! 
> 
> For the gift, I decided to combine two of the wishes, namely:’ a Platonic Moxiety fic where Virgil wants hugs/cuddles but doesn’t know how to ask but Patton gets it anyway,’ and ‘Patton taking care of a little Virgil (where Virgil is a toddler and is very cuddly)... lots of fluff!’
> 
> I’m not necessarily the most experienced with writing toddlers, but... the idea was far too cute to pass up, and I hope I did the potential fluff justice! Thanks for being such an amazing source of positivity and support on your blog... happy holidays, and I hope you enjoy!

It was actually quite simple, Logan had explained to the others with the toddler carried against his hip. Age regression was perfectly normal, as well as healthy, way to deal with stress. This was merely a way of Thomas’s brain to attempt and regulate his anxieties when they flared up too much and, really, this was a perfect solution that would not only benefit Thomas, but also Virgil as a side. The facts were stated in a nearly monotone voice, merely a list of truths, but the logical side’s eyes were protective as he rattled off more reasonings and facts behind why this was more than alright, and how all of them banding together to be a support for Virgil would be beneficial to the mindscape as a whole. 

Much to Logan, as well as Virgil’s, relief, nobody minded in the slightest. The moment Logan had come out of the anxious side’s room with an adorable, toddlerized Virgil that was practically swimming in his now oversized hoodie, they had already dedicated themselves to making their little stormcloud the happiest, safest, most spoiled and most loved toddler that he could possibly be. 

After all, Patton was especially happy to have an actual kiddo toddling around to shower affection on, and Roman’s excitement to have a little sidekick accompanying him on his quests into the Imagination was unparalleled. And, though Logan tended to not spend excessive amounts of time with Virgil’s smaller self, it was obvious to everyone that he enjoyed every time Virgil looked at the logical side with a childlike wonder while offering him objects for him to spout off fun facts about. 

Heck, even Deceit and Remus had gotten in on the fun, occasionally popping up on Virgil’s little days to hang out and play with the utterly adorable, toddlerized version of their old friend. As long as Remus promised to leave his morningstar in his room, and Deceit was there to ensure that the darker creativity didn’t expose Virgil to anything too vulgar, the dark sides were free to spend the day with the smaller side whenever they desired.

At this point, each ‘little’ day progressed practically like clockwork. Virgil would wake up earlier than was probably healthy, realize that his bed was much larger than what he had fallen asleep in, and immediately wriggle out from under the covers and toddle off to one of the other sides’ rooms. Usually, he headed for Patton’s, as he was typically attached to the paternal figment’s side while he was like this, anyways. Occasionally, he ended up in Roman’s room and, even more rarely, had found his way into Logan’s. And, on one rather startling night, he had ended up curled up in Remus’s arms, much to the initial concern of the light sides’. But Virgil had just been babbling away nonsensically as he played with Remus’s putrid green sash, which he was still wearing in his sleep for some godforsaken reason, the darker creativity’s eyes uncharacteristically soft as he wove intricate and gory tales for the wide-eyed toddler to listen to. After that, Remus, and eventually Deceit, had been welcomed into the fam-ILY, at least in these circumstances, with almost completely welcoming arms. 

This time, however, he just stuck with the basics, following the path he knew well to where the moral side’s room lay. Pushing open the door with a small shove, the toddler-sized side immediately made a beeline for the baby blue canopy bed set against the wall. A few failed attempts later, he was bouncing onto the bed, making sure to stay just far away enough from the sleeping side that he wouldn’t wake him prematurely. 

And so, Virgil waited, scrunching the covers under his fingers, eyes flickering around the room before occasionally returning back to Patton. 

Then, right when Virgil was almost bored enough to attempt and wake Patton himself, or perhaps leave and try his luck with another side, the moral side stirred quietly. He sat up suddenly, eyes still half closed and hair seemingly impossibly tangled. Yawning widely, he seemed just about ready to plop back down into his mess of blankets, pillows, and stuffies that he called a bed when his sleepy gaze caught on Virgil. 

“Hey, kiddo,” Patton said with a small smile, yawning the moment he had gotten the words out. Virgil giggled quietly at that, hands immediately flying to his mouth to stifle the sounds, but Patton just smiled a little wider. “... ‘s alright, Vee. I know I can look a li’l funny when I’m…” Patton nudged one of the teddy bears he had been cuddling up to in his sleep, “... _ bear _ -ily awake.”

Letting the still-giggling toddler latch onto the teddy bear, Patton managed to untangle himself from the bedsheets, yawning as he started to get ready for the day. It was a decently quick morning routine and, soon enough, he was exiting his bathroom dressed in his usual polo and khakis, wearing his cat sweater over the ensemble to stave off the morning chill, teeth brushed and hair almost tamed. He couldn’t stop smiling as his eyes once again caught on Virgil’s tiny figure, still tightly clutching the stuffed bear, and he scooped up the toddler into a hug with a coo of how absolutely adorable he was. Luckily, in a smaller form, Virgil seemed completely alright with Patton’s pet names and undivided attention. The toddler just smiled and babbled happily in return, immediately dropping the stuffie to latch onto Patton instead. 

And, just as usual, they set off for the kitchen, Patton quietly listing out casual plans for the day while Virgil looked at him with wide, trusting eyes, fingers tightly gripping the other side’s sweater. Once Virgil had been set in and secured in his high chair, which had been a bit of a struggle as he wasn’t sure he wanted to let go just yet, Patton got to work beginning to make breakfast for the rest of the sides. It was a mundane and, frankly useless, sort of task, seeing as how they were all merely projections of Thomas’s personality in his own mind and didn’t actually need to consume any food. However, it was a part of the routine that Patton had grown accustomed to. Besides, none of the other sides truly minded it, especially when it made the moral side so happy to be using the ‘Amazing Cooking Skills He Had Helped Thomas Cultivate.’ 

Virgil wasn’t necessarily the biggest talker, even as his normal self, and as a toddler he was no different. It was unusual to get more than a few comprehensible words out of the side when he was like this, but nobody was much bothered by that. The silence that filled the kitchen was calming, and Patton’s occasional humming as he moved around the kitchen created the perfect, comfortable atmosphere. And so, as Patton worked his way around the counters, pulling out ingredients, mixing them together, pouring drinks and cutting fruit, Virgil silently watched with wide eyes from his perch atop his high chair. Occasionally, Patton might throw out a question, to which Virgil might respond with either a movement or a babbled, unintelligible answer, and both would be left smiling throughout the entire interaction. 

And then Roman was waltzing into the room, looking as perfectly put together and princely as ever. After seeing Virgil’s tiny form shyly waving at him from the high chair, he was immediately heading over to greet him. Patton’s heart warmed at the scene, Roman jokingly ruffling Virgil’s hair as he regaled him with tales of dragons who could only be beaten through hugs that were waiting for him in the Imagination, and how the day ahead was sure to be a splendid one. And then Logan followed in a similar fashion, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he greeted Virgil, followed by breakfast being served. 

Breakfast itself was a generally quiet affair, as everyone was still sort of waking up. Most of the noise came from the right side of the table, where Roman was joking around with Virgil, ending up with both of them sticking out their tongues at one another with Logan facepalming in the background while Patton giggled over the scene. 

And, soon enough, breakfast was finished. Roman had swept the other up into his arms after freeing him from his high chair, but it was clear at Virgil’s squirming to be put down that today was not going to be an ‘adventure into the Imagination’ sort of day. 

“Fair enough, my little dark and stormy Knight,” Roman said with an overexaggerated gesture of bravado, though making sure to keep his volume a little lower than normal in order to not potentially frighten the toddlerized side. “I suppose the Imagination can survive without their great protector for a day…” The creative side trailed off as Virgil giggled quietly, the toddler taking a seat on the living room floor with his legs sprawled out in front of him. Though it was clear the other wasn’t quite ready to part from the paternal presence of Patton behind him, he didn’t quite seem like he was done with Roman, either. Grinning at the little one’s laughter, Creativity knelt down so that he could be a little more at eye level with the anxious side. “...Though, if you change your mind later, I have been planning a particularly thrilling adventure that I’m sure you would enjoy.” Roman softly booped Virgil’s nose, leaving the toddler giggling again as he stood back up and made to take his leave. 

Almost as soon as Roman had left the room, Patton was exiting the now sparkling clean kitchen. His smile grew the tiniest bit wider, if that was even possible, at the sight of Virgil giggling, and he made his way over to crouch down next to the other. 

“Whatcha laughing at there, Virgey?”

Virgil just giggled in response at that, which led to Patton laughing, leaving them both sitting on the living room floor laughing until they could hardly breath. “What… so uh, what do you want to start with today, kiddo?” Patton eventually forced out, still laughing a little in between every word. And, as Virgil’s giggles faded out, he started to consider the question.

What Virgil really wanted at the moment was cuddles, but he wasn’t exactly sure how to get that sentiment across… Usually, he wasn’t the one to initiate, being picked up by various sides to be cooed over and cuddled nearly every second he was little. Not that Patton was obligated to do that, but…

It wasn’t that Virgil thought that he wasn’t allowed to ask for cuddles, or even that he thought he’d be bothering the other if he did ask. After all, Patton was even more of a cuddler than he was, even in a regressed state, and would never pass up the chance to engage in any physical contact.

No, the problem was that Virgil didn’t know how to ask.

And, it took a few minutes, of Patton wandering around the room, pulling coloring books from shelves summoning up stuffies and toys onto random surfaces, rambling on about what they could do that day, but eventually he looks back at Virgil. And, even though Virgil hadn’t said a word, even though Virgil wasn’t making any motions, just sitting there wondering how to say what he wanted to say, Pat seemed to understand, even though he didn’t. 

“Aw… kiddo, are you alright?” Patton asked quietly, scooping the other up into a hug. His arms tightening the slightest bit around the quiet toddler as Virgil immediately melted into the embrace, and concern was evident in his voice at how quickly the toddler in his arms had latched on. Virgil just silently nodded his head, burrowing further into Patton’s chest. “...You sure, buddy?” Another nod, though Virgil had pulled his face back slightly to look up at Patton this time, a tiny, utterly adorable grin present on his face.

“Oh,” the moral side muttered in sudden realization. “I… Virgil, did you want a hug? Or cuddles?” Another, more fervent nod, sending the toddler’s messy curls bouncing all over the place. Patton took a moment to smooth Virgil’s untamed hair back at that, and the toddler grinned a little wider at that movement, his own hands reached up to pull lightly at Patton’s own curls. 

Wincing slightly as the toddler pulled just a little too harshly, Patton lightly grabbed Virgil’s tiny hands in his own, guiding them back down to rest on his chest. “Well, why didn’tcha just say so, Virge!” Patton said with a smile, his own fingers beginning running up and down Virgil’s side. The toddler in his lap giggled, squirming slightly under the onslaught of ticking, but still not moving to unlatch himself from Patton’s chest. “You know your proud pops is always in the mood for a good cuddle session!” 

In an attempt to stop the continuous onslaught of tickling, Virgil whapped at Patton’s hands with squeals of delight before launching himself back into Patton’s chest, nuzzling into the other in a way he knows will make the other laugh as well. And Patton does; it really is unfair that Virgil knows how ticklish he is and uses it against him, though he can’t find it in himself to even pretend he doesn’t enjoy every second of it. 

“You’re quite the little cuddlebug, aren’tcha, Virge?” Patton said in a slightly teasing tone as their giggles had finally tapered out, running his fingers through the toddler’s hair as he snuggled back into Patton’s side. Virgil only mumbled in response, but he tightened his grip on Patton all the same. “No worries, little guy… we can do a ton of your favorite activities while still cuddling! Why, we’re already in position for a perfect one. How do you feel about starting off this day with a movie?”

Virgil’s face lit up excitedly, and an adorable squeal fell from his lips as he practically vibrated in excitement. Patton chuckled, shifting Virgil to rest against his hip as he stood up from the couch. “I’m going to take that as a yes,” he teased, booping Virgil on the nose before carrying him over to the shelves next to the television so that the other could pick out a movie. 

In no time at all, ‘The Black Cauldron’s opening scene was playing, and Virgil was staring at the screen with rapt attention. Patton had settled back on the couch, Virgil continuing to take residence on his lap, and he occasionally played with the toddler’s floofy hair as they both watched. 

The words come out of nowhere, about halfway through the movie. 

“Wuv you, Pwat,” Virgil had whispered quietly, words coming out almost as the unintelligible babble he usually spoke in while regressed. His gaze was still on the movie, but his fingers tightened slightly where he was gripping Patton’s shirt, and he somehow cuddled even closer into the other’s side. Patton startled slightly at that, before his face broke into the biggest smile he thinks he’s ever worn. 

“...Love you too, Virge.” 


End file.
